Bitter neighbour row as retired doctor puts up scaffolding in 90-year-old’s garden – with structure that’s nearly the height of her cottage overlooking her bedroom window and crowding out her flowers

Two pensioners are locked in a bitter row after a retired doctor erected scaffolding in his 90-year-old neighbour’s garden.

Gill Hayes-Newington was ‘shocked’ to discover the scaffolding was almost as high as her Grade II listed cottage in Suffolk.

The retired social worker said the scaffolding blocks her view, crowds her flowers and looks out from her bedroom window.

It was set up by workers employed by her neighbour, Dr Andrew Jones, to enable repairs to the roof of his own house. The roof is only safely accessible via scaffolding, which is largely located in Dr. Jones, but some struts have also been placed on Mrs Hayes-Newington’s side.

Dr. Jones says he owns a thin strip of land on her side and claims he warned her about the work in advance.

But Mrs Hayes-Newington insists she knew nothing about it until she returned home – and the pair are now embroiled in a furious stand-off. She has contacted a lawyer and is threatening legal action unless the scaffolding is removed from her home in Rectory Street, Halesworth.

“How would you react if you came home and found your neighbor’s scaffolding in your backyard?” Ms Hayes-Newington said.

Gill Hayes-Newington pictured in front of her neighbour’s scaffolding in her garden

The scaffolding blocks the view from Ms Hayes-Newington’s bedroom window

Dr. Andrew Jones pictured in his garden, where essential work is underway on the roof of his Grade II listed house

“The fact is, it’s rude. He has violated my privacy and invaded – the scaffolding blocks my bedroom window and they can see right in. My neighbor can’t just play with me.

“It’s selfish for them to assume this is OK and that I didn’t have any plans, like a garden party with my friends.”

Dr. Andrew Jones, who has been Mrs Hayes-Newington’s neighbor for more than a decade, is adamant he warned her about the work, which he says is vital.

He says: ‘My partner and I naturally consulted with Gill about the necessary maintenance of my roof. Gill knew that the work on my roof was essential.

A street view of the properties on Rectory Lane in Halesworth, Suffolk

A view of Dr.’s garden Jones and his neighbor, Mrs. Hayes-Newington, and how they overlap

‘It’s a bit complicated because my house extends up to her side of the wall, so technically, even though her side of the wall is the scaffolding, it is aligned with my house.

‘I am very sorry that Gill is inconvenienced by the work on my roof and the scaffolding in her garden, but as she knows the work is essential to maintaining the Grade II listed building.

‘Plus, she even knows the builders who do the work, as they have also done work on her house.

“If she takes legal action, I don’t think it will get very far.”